hard times(艰难时世)-第62章
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me—I need not say most unwillingly on her part。 It has not been；
sir； without some trouble that I have effected this； but trouble in
your service is to me a pleasure； and hunger； thirst； and cold a real
gratification。”
Here Mrs Sparsit ceased； for Mr Bounderby’s visage exhibited
an extraordinary combination of all possible colours and
expressions of discomfiture； as old Mrs Pegler was disclosed to his
view。
“Why； what do you mean by this？” was his highly unexpected
demand； in great warmth。 “I ask you； what do you mean by this；
Mrs Sparsit； ma’am？”
“Sir！” exclaimed Mrs Sparsit； faintly。
“Why don’t you mind your own business； ma’am？” roared
Bounderby。 “How dare you go and poke your officious nose into
my family affairs？”
This allusion to her favourite feature overpowered Mrs Sparsit。
She sat down stiffly in a chair； as if she were frozen； and； with a
fixed stare at Mr Bounderby； slowly grated her mittens against
one another； as if they were frozen too。
“My dear Josiah！” cried Mrs Pegler； trembling。 “My darling
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boy！ I am not to blame。 It’s not my fault； Josiah。 I told this lady
over and over again； that I knew she was doing what would not be
agreeable to you； but she would do it。”
“What did you let her bring you for？ Couldn’t you knock her
cap off； or her tooth out； or scratch her； or do something or other
to her？” asked Bounderby。
“My own boy！ She threatened me that if I resisted her； I should
be brought by constables； and it was better to come quietly than
make that stir in such a—” Mrs Pegler glanced timidly but proudly
round the walls—”such a fine house as this。 Indeed； indeed； it is
not my fault！ My dear； noble； stately boy！ I have always lived quiet
and secret； Josiah； my dear。 I have never broken the condition
once。 I have never said I was your mother。 I have admired you at a
distance； and if I have come to town sometimes； with long times
between； to take a proud peep at you； I have done it unbeknown；
my love； and gone away again。”
Mr Bounderby； with his hands in his pockets； walked in
impatient mortification up and down at the side of the long dining…
table； while the spectators greedily took in every syllable of Mrs
Pegler’s appeal； and each succeeding syllable became more and
more round…eyed。 Mr Bounderby still walking up and down； when
Mrs Pegler had done； Mr Gradgrind addressed that maligned old
lady：
“I am surprised； madam；” he observed with severity； “that in
your old age you have the face to claim Mr Bounderby for your
son； after your unnatural and inhuman treatment of him。”
“Me unnatural！” cried poor old Mrs Pegler。 “Me inhuman！ To
my dear boy？”
“Dear！” repeated Mr Gradgrind。 “Yes； dear in his self…made
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prosperity； madam； I dare say。 Not very dear； however； when you
deserted him in his infancy； and left him to the brutality of a
drunken grandmother。”
“I deserted my Josiah！” cried Mrs Pegler； clasping her hands。
“Now； Lord forgive you； sir； for your wicked imaginations； and for
your scandal against the memory of my poor mother； who died in
my arms before Josiah was born。 May you repent of it； sir； and live
to know better！”
She was so very earnest and injured； that Mr Gradgrind；
shocked by the possibility which dawned upon him； said in a
gentler tone：
“Do you deny； then； madam； that you left your son to—to be
brought up in the gutter？”
“Josiah in the gutter！” exclaimed Mrs Pegler。 “No such a thing；
sir。 Never！ For shame on you！ My dear boy knows； and will give
you to know； that though he come of humble parents； he come of
parents that loved him as dear as the best could； and never
thought it hardship on themselves to pinch a bit that he might
write and cipher beautiful； and I’ve his books at home to show it！
Aye； have I！” said Mrs Pegler； with indignant pride。 “And my dear
boy knows； and will give you to know； sir； that after his beloved
father died when he was eight year old； his mother； too； could
pinch a bit； as it was her duty and her pleasure and her pride to do
it； to help him out in life； and put him ’prentice。 And a steady lad
he was； and a kind master he had to lend him a hand； and well he
worked his own way forward to be rich and thriving。 And I’ll give
you to know； sir—for this my dear boy won’t—that though his
mother kept but a little village shop； he never forgot her； but
pensioned me on thirty pound a…year—more than I want； for I put
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by out of it—only making the condition that I was to keep down in
my own part； and make no boasts about him； and not trouble him。
And I never have； except with looking at him once a year； when he
has never knowed it。 And it’s right；” said poor old Mrs Pegler； in
affectionate championship； “that I should keep down in my own
part； and I have no doubts that if I was here I should do a many
unbefitting things； and I am well contented； and I can keep my
pride in my Josiah to myself； and I can love for love’s own sake！
And I am ashamed of you； sir；” said Mrs Pegler； lastly； “for your
slanders and suspicions。 And I never stood here before； nor never
wanted to stand here when my dear son said no。 And I shouldn’t
be here now； if it hadn’t been for being brought here。 And for
shame upon you； O for shame； to accuse me of being a bad mother
to my son； with my son standing here to tell you so different！”
The bystanders； on and off the dining…room chairs； raised a
murmur of sympathy with Mrs Pegler； and Mr Gradgrind felt
himself innocently placed in a very distressing predicament； when
Mr Bounderby； who had never ceased walking up and down； and
had every moment swelled larger and larger； and grown redder
and redder； stopped short。
“I don’t exactly know；” said Mr Bounderby； “how I come to be
favoured with the attendance of the present company； but I don’t
inquire。 When they’re quite satisfied； perhaps they’ll be so good as
to disperse； whether they’re satisfied or not； perhaps they’ll be so
good as to disperse。 I’m not bound to deliver a lecture on my
family affairs； I have not undertaken to do it； and I’m not a going
to do it。 Therefore those who expect any explanation whatever
upon that branch of the subject； will be disappointed—particularly
Tom Gradgrind； and he can’t know it too soon。 In reference to the
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Bank robbery； there has been a mistake made； concerning my
mother。 If there hadn’t been over…officiousness； it wouldn’t have
been made； and I hate over…officiousness at all times； whether or
no。 Good evening！”
Although Mr Bounderby carried it off in these terms； holding
the door open for the company to depart； there was a blustering
sheepishness upon him； at once extremely crestfallen and
superlatively absurd。 Detected as the Bully of humility； who had
built his windy reputation upon lies； and in his boastfulness had
put the honest truth as far away from him as if he had advanced
the mean claim （there is no meaner） to tack himself on to a
pedigree； he cut a most ridiculous figure。 With the people filing off
at the door he held； who he knew would carry what had passed to
the whole town； to be given to the four winds； he could not have
looked a Bully more shorn and forlorn； if he had had his ears
cropped。 Even that unlucky female； Mrs Sparsit； fallen from her
pinnacle of exultation into the Slough of Despond； was not in so
bad a plight as that remarkable man and self…made Humbug；
Josiah Bounderby of Coketown。
Rachael and Sissy； leaving Mrs Pegler to occupy a bed at her
son’s for that night； walked together to the gate of Stone Lodge
and there parted。 Mr Gradgrind joined them before they had gone
very far； and spoke with much interest of Stephen Blackpool； for
whom he thought this signal failure of the suspicions against Mrs
Pegler was likely to work well。
As to the whelp； throughout this scene as on all other late
occasions； he had stuck close to Bounderby。 He seemed to feel that
as long as Bounderby could make no discovery without his
knowledge； he was so far safe。 He never visited his sister； and had
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only seen her once since she went home： that is to say； on the
night when he still stuck close to Bounderby； as already related。
There was one dim unformed fear lingering about his sister’s
mind； to which she never gave utterance； which surrounded the
graceless and ungrateful boy with a dreadful mystery。 The same
dark possibility had presented itself in the same shapeless guise；
this very day； to Sissy； when Rachael spoke of some one who
would be confounded
